Old Flames
by salmonita
Summary: Callie's dark past catches up to her. Can she handle it? Will she be willing to open up to her new family? Sorry, not good at summaries. First story. POV Callie. Rated T because it might get a little violent.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I don't own the Fosters. That's all ABC Family. A new kind of family.**  
**AN: This story will probably be all POV Callie. I'll say if it's anything different.**

_I woke up to Mom and Dad yelling. I stayed in bed next to Jude and tried to cover his ears as he slept._  
_After a while it stopped, and I slowly began to drift into sleep._  
_I woke up again. This time, it wasn't a sound that woke me up, it was a smell. It reminded me of the other side of town where the people would smoke like there's no tomorrow._  
_The fire alarm went off._

* * *

I woke up, and I was coughing. I stopped when I realized it was nothing.  
Mariana looked up from picking the clothes she pulled out.  
"Hey, you okay? Choke on your spit?" She paused and chuckled to herself, "It's okay. Happens to me all the time."  
But it wasn't okay.  
"Um, uh, yeah. I just, uh, just... choked for a second."  
But I didn't.  
I got up and walked to the bathroom, and I closed and locked the door. I cried away the pain of the memory.  
I quickly wiped the tears away and opened the door to Jude.  
"Morning, Callie!" he smiled.  
I stopped and stared for a second, and I pulled him into a hug.  
"Callie? Are you alright?" he asked me.  
"Uh, yeah. I, uh, I just love you. Okay?" I looked at him and smiled.  
He made a confused face, but then smiled. "Love you, too."  
I didn't tell him. I couldn't. His pain couldn't possibly relieve me of mine.

* * *

Downstairs everyone was eating breakfast. Everything seemed pretty normal. As normal as it could be anyway.  
Brandon studying, Lena and Steph working out shedule conflicts, Mariana texting while eating, and Jesus on his skateboard doing rounds around the table.  
We began making our way to the door.  
"Oh, kids," Lena said, "There's a fire drill today."  
I froze.  
"Please be on your best behaviors!" she continued, "That means no running off to the beach!"  
Everyone made eyes at Jesus. "Why are you all looking at me?!" he asked innocently.  
While everyone was worried about Jesus, I was worried about myself.  
"Just a drill," I thought to myself. "It's just a drill."

**AN: Please review, thanks.**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: I don't own the Fosters. That's all ABC Family. A new kind of family.**

_The fire alarm went off._  
_I shook Jude, trying to wake him up._  
_"Callie?"_

* * *

"Callie? Callie? Earth to Callie?" my bio teacher, Mr. Polk, called.  
"Sorry?"  
"Is the anatomy of a mollusk interrupting your daydreaming?"  
"No, sorry. It won't happen again." I said apologetically.  
"You bet it won't," he said as he continued down my row.  
"Why am I so antsy?" I asked myself. "There's just going to be a fire drill. That's all."  
As if on cue, the fire alarms rang.  
"Alright folks, single file line, out to the yard. Jen, could you grab the emergency bag? Last one out, shut the door, please!"  
I walked quickly and quietly, keeping myself calm.  
"Just a drill," I repeated to myself.

* * *

We were all walking down the hallway, and I saw Lena running quite frantically.  
"Hi Lena," I said. "Is there something wrong?"  
"Hey Callie, um, we have it under control." Then she turned to Mr. Polk and whispered something.  
He nodded, "Okay people, let's keep moving!"  
Something didn't feel right.

* * *

We got outside, and I couldn't believe my eyes. There was actual smoke coming from the building.  
I turned to Mr. Polk. "I thought this was just supposed to be a drill."  
He looked back to me. "It was... supposed to be."  
I got a butterfly feeling in my stomach.  
"Callie!"  
I knew who yelled my name.  
Suddenly the butterflies started punching.  
"Jude?!"

**AN: Please review, thanks.**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: I don't own the Fosters. That's all ABC Family. A new kind of family.**  
**AN: Let me know if anybody catches the Lost reference... It's kind of silly, really, but it was just on my mind.**

_I shook Jude, trying to wake him up._  
_"Callie? What time is it? What's that smell?" he said groggily._  
_"I think there's a fire, baby. C'mon, we need to find Mom and Dad."_  
_We got up and made our way to our parents' bedroom. I tried to open the door, but the doorknob burned my hand._  
_I grabbed the phone and led Jude out of our house. Then, I dialed 911._  
_"911, what's your emergency?"_

* * *

Too many thoughts were running through my head. This memory couldn't bother me at a time like this.  
"Jude?!"  
I tried running towards the building, but Mr. Polk stopped me.  
"Ms. Jacob, you are not going anywhere."  
"But Mr. Polk, you heard him! Something's wrong!"  
Before he opened his mouth again, I saw Lena approach us.  
"Lena! What's going on? Where's Jude?"  
"Um, Mr. Polk, will you excuse us? Callie, you need to come with me."  
You know those butterflies I was talking about earlier? I was starting to think they were more like vicious tropical polar bears than butterflies.  
"Lena, you need to tell me what's going on! Where's Jude?!"  
"Just... Keep walking, Callie. Quickly, please. This isn't something easily explained."  
"Is the fire out?"  
"Yes. We think there was a little gasoline outside Jude's classroom. We're still trying to figure it out."  
"Gas?" Now the polar bears were fighting with the black smoke monster.  
"Yes. But that's not the problem."  
"Then what's the problem?!"  
We stopped at a classroom. She slowly opened the door.

* * *

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It felt like my nightmares just turned into a reality.  
I slowly scanned the room with each step I took.  
Mike.  
Jude.  
Steph.  
At the next face, I couldn't help but take in a loud gasp.  
"No," I said under my breath.

**AN: Please review, thanks.**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: I don't own the Fosters. That's all ABC Family. A new kind of family.**

_"911, what's your emergency?"_  
_"I think there's a fire in our house! I'm with my little brother outside, but I can't get into my parents' room."_  
_"Alright we have firetrucks on their way to your location."_  
_I took the phone and gave it to Jude._  
_"Baby, I'm going to try to get to Mom and Dad again. Keep talking to the nice lady on the phone, and stay here."_  
_He nodded and took the phone from me as I ran back into the house. I went directly to Mom and Dad's room. The doorknob was still hot, so I started kicking._

* * *

I didn't know what to say. "No."  
Steph stepped forward, "Callie, it's okay-"  
I shook my head, "No it's not. This is not okay," I said, "Jude? You okay, buddy?" I asked him. He slowly nodded.  
"Callie, I know it's been a while, and it might be hard to recognize-"  
"No. I know exactly who he is. He's the man I'm so _proud_ to call my father," I said sarcastically.  
"Callie-" Lena tried reasoning with me.  
"You think that there just so happen to be a small fire before he shows up?" I asked.  
"We know what happened, Callie," Steph said.  
"No. No you don't," I said. I saw Jude's scared face. I turned to Lena, "Can I talk with you two outside, please?"  
Lena, Steph, and I all walked outside.  
"Callie, why don't you let Steph and me say our piece first?" Lena suggested.  
I took a breath. "Okay."

* * *

Lena spoke first, "So as you know, there was supposed to be a fire drill. But that wasn't supposed to be until after lunch. It's about 10:30 right now. So we knew something was up. We quickly located the fire and put it out. I went to check on Jude's class and I saw your father talking to him. Jude obviously looked uncomfortable, so I began talking to him, he told me who he was."  
"That's when Lena called me," Steph chimed in. "So Mike and I headed over, and your father told us about the accident with the fire seven years ago. He spent some jail time for manslaughter, but he's okay now."  
"He just wants to talk with you and Jude. He wants to reconnect with you two," Lena explained. "There's nothing wrong with that, is there?"  
I paused and looked at the both of them. "Of course there's something wrong!"  
They exchanged looks and then looked at me like I was crazy. I had to tell them.

"He lied about my mother's death. And he made me lie, too."

**AN: Please review, thanks. I'm sorry they're short! I want to update often rather than posting long chapters every once in a while.  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: I don't own the Fosters. That's all ABC Family. A new kind of family.**

_I went directly to Mom and Dad's room. The doorknob was still hot, so I started kicking._  
_I finally made my way through the door, coughing from the smoke. But the coughing wasn't my problem._

* * *

Steph broke the silence. "He WHAT?"  
"It wasn't an accident," I repeated.  
"Then what really happened?" Lena asked.

* * *

I took a breath. "It was really late. They had a fight. He got beyond drunk. I think he got the idea off a cop show or something."  
"Idea? What idea?" Steph asked.  
"Gasoline fire. He-" I was getting all choked up. "He poured gasoline on her and lit the match."  
"Oh, sweetie," she sympathized, and they pulled me into a hug.  
"How do you remember it so clearly? You were only nine," Lena said.  
I shook my head, "How could I forget? Jude, on the other hand, forced himself to forget the incident. I'm glad, though. He doesn't deserve that."  
"Nobody does, Callie," Steph said.  
"Anyway," I continued, "At the hospital, he told them it was an accident. That she was pumping gas for the car earlier, and that he was trying to light a candle. Before I could say a word, he threatened to take Jude if I told the police anything different."  
"Why were you at the hospital?" Lena asked.  
"Because I wasn't breathing," I told them.

* * *

"So can you please keep that man away from Jude and me?"  
"Yes! Of course," Steph and Lena said in unison.  
We walked back to the classroom.  
"Hey, Mike?" Steph called out. She opened the door. "Oh no."  
Mike was laying on the ground unconscious. The back door was open.  
No sign of Jude or my father anywhere.

I started coughing.

**AN: Please review, thanks. I'm sorry I know it's short! Next one will be longer I swear!**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: I don't own the Fosters. That's all ABC Family. A new kind of family.**

_I finally made my way through the door, coughing from the smoke. But the coughing wasn't my problem._  
_On the ground I saw three, maybe four, bottles of beer. Empty._  
_I looked up to see a my father with a matches and a beer in one hand and gasoline in the other, standing over a figure engulfed in flames. Mom._  
_That's when I knew. Life will never be the same._

* * *

Steph went to see if Mike was okay.  
I felt like I couldn't breathe. I could see the flames surrounding me. It's like I went back to that night. Or that night came back to me.  
I slid down to the floor against the wall.  
Lena crouched next to me. "Callie? Just breathe. You're okay. Everything is going to be okay."  
"No!" I said, with hot tears running down my face. I started hyperventilating.  
"A... pyromaniac... just to... took my... brother... He... he took... Jude... like he... said," I told her between breaths.  
I saw Mike sitting up holding his head. Steph was asking him questions.  
Lena looked in her purse and pulled out a Hi-Chew.  
"Here. With every chew, take a slow breath in and out," she told me.  
I started chewing, and I slowly got back to my natural breathing.  
"I turned my back for a few seconds, turned around, and he hit me with the chair," Mike told us.  
Steph got up and started walking outside. "I'm going to call it in, find you some ice. Lena, can you take Callie home? I'll text the twins."  
Lena nodded her head, "Okay. Let's go, Callie."  
I got up, and we walked to the car. This was the longest car ride of my life with silence lingering in the air.

* * *

We got to the house, and I walked straight to the bedroom.  
Too many "what if's" went through my head.  
What if I get kicked out of the house?  
What if my father takes custody?  
What if he does something to Jude?  
What if they don't find Jude?  
What if... I never see Jude again?

* * *

When I ran out of fingers, I started crying into my pillow. I suppose I cried myself to sleep because Lena shook me awake. "Callie?"  
I sat up and wiped my face.  
"We are going to find Jude, if it's the last thing we do," she told me.  
"Do you have any leads?" I asked.  
"Steph told me that some witnesses saw his car," she said. "Steph will keep us updated as soon as she hears anything."  
I nodded my head, "Okay."  
"I'm not going to make you go back to school today, but I'm going to ask you to go tomorrow. Is that okay?"  
"I think so."  
"Okay," she responded, "I'll leave you to your thoughts then."  
She left the room.  
I tried to get homework done, but I just couldn't. I started writing in my composition notebook. Ripped ends remain from my guilt story of Liam. Last time I ever leave my things laying around.

Will this turn into a guilt story?

**AN: Please review, thanks.**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry! Life got hectic! But I'm back!**  
**AN: I don't own the Fosters. That's all ABC Family. A new kind of family.**

_That's when I knew. Life will never be the same._  
_I stood there for a while, despite my difficulty breathing. Then I saw him coming towards me. I tried running back outside, but my legs were failing me._  
_I began crawling. Just like a baby. So weak. So vulnerable._  
_Eventually the smoke overpowered me. I couldn't move._  
_I layed there, coughing. I heard a faint siren before everything went dark._

* * *

That night was a nightmare, but this night kept turning into another one.  
I wasn't hungry for dinner, so I stayed upstairs to finish my homework. But I could hear them talking.  
Brandon, Mariana, and Jesus were asking questions. I don't blame them, of course, but it just... hurt more.  
Steph came in holding leftovers from dinner.  
"I know you're not hungry, but you have to eat something before you go to bed."  
I nodded.  
"Callie, listen to me when I say we are going to find him. Okay?"  
"Okay," I nodded.  
"And if there's anything that you think of, somewhere that your father might go, just let me know. Even if it might be a long shot."  
"Got it."  
"Okay. Good night, sweetie."  
"Night."  
She closed the door behind her. I layed back into my bed.  
Where would he go? He's been locked up for the past how many years? It has to be somewhere that he knows. Somewhere that he remembers. Somewhere with memories.  
Memories: the things I try to suppress time after time. Why is it that it's so difficult for me to forget the bad things, yet it's more difficult to remember the good.  
I closed my eyes.

* * *

I opened my eyes to a new setting. I found myself as an observer. I've been here before.  
We were sitting at a fancy restaurant. Obviously before Dad became a drunk. Jude... still a fetus inside my mother's womb.  
Candles. Big plates with little foods. But we were having a good time.  
I was giggling over something Mom said. I don't even know what.  
Of course. Mom and Dad's 10 Anniversary. They were so happy. I was so happy.  
I smiled at my self. If only I could go to her and tell her... life is going to get so much harder in a few years.  
This was somewhere special.  
This was where they met.  
Where he proposed.  
Where they made love.  
I started running around frantically. I needed to know the name of this place. This special place where beautiful things happened before the ugly.  
I picked up a menu.  
Blank.  
I looked outside. The sign was blank.  
I covered my eyes with my hands. "Think!" I yelled to myself.  
And I guess I heard me. Not me. She heard me. The little happy me.  
She walked up to me. She curled her finger in to get me to bend over closer to her level.  
She cupped her mouth, and whispered in my ear.

* * *

"The Grande Madonna."  
I opened my eyes and sat up.  
Mariana was looking at me. "What did you say?"  
"Uh... I don't know. What did I say?"  
"I thought you said the Grande Madonna. That little place is in... La Jolla, I think."  
"Little?"  
"Well, I remember it used to be like a four star hotel, but now it looks kinda gross. I wouldn't recommend staying there if I were you. But if you're looking for cheap residence, go on ahead."  
"Good to know," I said slowly. The gears were turning.  
This had to be it.

**AN: Please review, thanks.**  
**AN: Tell me what you guys thought of the summer finale!**


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